The invention relates to a method and apparatus for external cooling of an electronic component of a hardware product which is mobile for use in an undocked mode and which is mountable on a docking station for use in a docked mode. The hardware product is a notebook computer and the electronic component is a processor of the computer in disclosed example embodiments.
The use of a docking station to provide additional cooling for the processor of a portable computer is, per se, known. See, for example, assignee""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,556. With the increasing power levels and hot spot issues on the processors of notebook computers, the limit of cooling capability from within the notebook computers is in sight. When the internal cooling capability hits a limit, the burden of cooling will have to shift outside to a docking station to enable a notebook computer working at peak performance in docked mode (with cooling assistance from the dock) and at some reduced power level (so it is thermally manageable by the solution within the notebook computer) while undocked. One of the significant challenges in realizing cooling from a dock is the thermal resistance and other mechanical connection related issues between the notebook computer and the dock. There is a need for an improved method and apparatus to provide external cooling of a processor in a portable computer, particularly a notebook computer, during operation of the computer on a docking station. Such a solution would enable higher power processors to be used in notebook computers. The present invention addresses this need.
Various features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, two example embodiments in accordance with the present invention.